4 Ways Kids Can Create Change This Summer

“What are you doing this summer?” The conversations are really starting to fly… School is almost out. So what are we doing? This is the summer that I want to have fun. And do something meaningful. So we’re going to try to make change in our world. We want to make change that can help today and change that helps my daughter become a leader and innovator in the future.

Create Change by Volunteering

Our first goal is to get out and help people. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own world and forget that there are always people and things around you that need help more than you. I’m totally guilty of it. But this summer is going to be different.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

But don’t think the kids are going to whine about volunteering. Did you know there are some really cool ways to get out and help? Places like zoos often have volunteer programs that include admission for every volunteer. So make it a group thing and get the kids and their friends together for an epic and helpful outing for an organization.

Save Change to Create Change

We’ve also been working hard to instill a sense of giving back in my daughter. One way is when they get a little money from their allowance, or grandma, or a lucky penny on the ground, we encourage her to think about where it should go. We have three separate jars, one for saving, one for spending, and one for giving back. It’s a great way to change that spend spend spend mindset for kids AND adults (I need my own set of jars!).

Get Tinkering to Create Change

Tinkering? Isn’t that just messing around with stuff? Yes. It is. But it’s one of the absolute best ways to get kids thinking creatively. And creative thinking is what will turn our kids into the inventors and leaders of the future. And will help them make the world a better place.

Here’s a quick setup to get you started… You need three groups of things: connectors, things to connect, and design tools. Stuff like this works, but definitely raid the cabinets and the recycling bin and use what you have.

Design Tools

Capturing ideas on paper is a good way to learn from tinkering.

Mechanical pencil and marker

Paper or journal

Things to Connect

Straws

Recycled bottle caps

Spare toy wheels

Nuts and bolts

Toothpicks

Popsicle sticks

PVC pipe pieces

Connectors

Clothespins

Tape

Glue stick

Rubber bands

Pipe cleaners

Then, give the kids a challenge to Design and Build something:

That’s tall

That moves

That can hold liquids.

That’s small.

That looks like an animal.

That solves a problem.

Change Your Mindset to Create Change

The biggest thing you can do to create change is to change your mindset. Let’s make this the summer of “I can.” I can learn that. I can make that. I can do it!

This is why we like Galileo Camps. My daughter went last year as part of the TK / Kindergarten age group called the Nebulas. She still sings the cheer (Ooh Aah, you wish you were a Nebula!) and has been begging to go back again this year. But the biggest thing you get from Galileo other than fun camp is their mission to help kids create change. It’s more than just camp. It’s a mindset transforming summer experience. They encourage kids to explore, make mistakes, and create without fear. All the things that kids need to become leaders and solve world problems as adults.